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Leading Manga Publishers Tokyopop and Gentosha Comics Ink Worldwide Distribution and Development Deal

Jul 24th 2008

Companies to collaborate on a wide variety of publishing and trans-media projects

San Diego, CA, July 24th, 2008 – Global manga giants TOKYOPOP and GENTOSHA COMICS have entered into a worldwide partnership to advance the cause of the manga revolution. Under the terms of the alliance, TOKYOPOP will provide sublicensing agency services (outside of Asia, France, and Italy) for GENTOSHA COMICS's world-class library of manga hits, including titles like Gravitation, Lament of the Lamb, and Arm of Kannon. The companies will also pursue a wealth of co-development opportunities in the digital, film, and merchandising spaces.

“Working with our friends at GENTOSHA COMICS in this comprehensive, innovative way is an incredibly exciting initiative for us at TOKYOPOP,” said Stuart Levy, TOKYOPOP CEO and Chief Creative Officer. “GENTOSHA COMICS are world-class storytellers and the chance to represent their titles around the world is a privilege. In addition, we are looking forward to creating cool brand-new stories with GENTOSHA COMICS's incredibly talented team of manga editors, writers, and artists.”

“TOKYOPOP is known around the world for the passion and creativity with which they have championed the manga revolution,” said Yoshihiko Ito, President of GENTOSHA COMICS Inc. “We are thrilled at the chance to partner with them in this new venture and our teams can't wait to get started on working together!”

The TOKYOPOP/GENTOSHA COMICS alliance is expected to yield great results not only in the world of printed books, but will also represent a significant addition to the growing library of properties that TOKYOPOP is developing into feature films, television series, and web shows.

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About TOKYOPOP®
Founded by multi-cultural media visionary Stuart Levy, TOKYOPOP is hailed as a leading youth-oriented entertainment brand and an innovator of manga creation, with a revolutionary artistic vision that transcends countless platforms. From the introduction of the first-ever extensive manga publishing program in North America, to the development of its manga-originated intellectual properties into film, television and digital entertainment, TOKYOPOP has changed the way teens experience pop culture. The company's global reach has expanded to Europe and Asia, with offices in the UK and Germany, in addition to its Los Angeles and Tokyo operations. With millions of fans logging onto the new social networking site www.TOKYOPOP.com, reading its books, which are licensed in 41 countries in more than 20 languages, and watching its DVDs and television programs, TOKYOPOP's award-winning catalogue of licensed and original properties has made the company a visionary in an ever-growing teen entertainment marketplace. Visit www.TOKYOPOP.com for additional information.

About GENTOSHA COMICS
GENTOSHA COMICS Inc., located in Tokyo, Japan, comprises editors and producers dedicated to collaborating on never-before-seen entertainment centered around manga - a foundation of Japan's pop culture. GENTOSHA COMICS provides manga entertainment at its finest in multiple formats. Expanding far beyond print publishing, GENTOSHA COMICS engages in the development of multi-platforms such as digital, film, and merchandise, and extends beyond the borders of Japan. Collaborating with professional manga creators, GENTOSHA COMICS launched the online manga magazine (web GENZO) at the very dawn of the online comics boom, an example of its thirst to develop new ways for readers to connect with manga. Visit www.gentosha-comics.net for more information.

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